The National tribune., 1887-06-09
OHIO AT GETTYSBURG.
The Regiments that Participated in
the Great Battle.
BY S. r. NORRIS, co. D, 7TH OHIO, DWIGHT,
OAK.

one Of the committee appointed by the State of
Ohio 10 ascertain The positions of Ohio organ
izatiOns at Gettysburg, and 10 mark them with
proper monuments, the State having apprOpri-
ated $4,000 for this purpose. Through this
! interview we learn that the Commissioners lad
been at Gettysburg marking the ground and
making other arrangements for the erection Of
the monuments, and designating the regiments
that were there as the 4th, 5th, Sth, 25th, 55th,
] 6lst, 13d, 10Th, SD and 10th regiments of in
| iantry; Co.'S A and,C, LIST Cav; 10 companies
] of the 9th Cav, and four batteries.
There are veterans and friends Of at least
j three other Ohio regiments Of infantry who,
/ III this came under their notice, read il with
/ surprise, aud TO II, as purporting 10 embrace
all the organizations that were there and de-
serve 10 have their memory commemorated
upon that Held, VIII most certainly object.
These arc the veterans aud friends of the 9TH,
29th and Goth Ohio, of the First Brigade, Sec
ond Division, Twelfth Corps.
We are not willing TO believe that Gen. Rob-
inson has purposey ignored the presence Of
these regiments at Gettysburg, or that he was
only delegated to mark the position of certain
regiments TO the exclusion Of others. We are
charitable enough to think at this writing that
as the list is not official and obtained in an in
/ terview, it is not complete. But we must in
sst that these regiments were there, and took
an active and honorable part in that battle. The
! position they occupied aud the part they took
especially the 9TH Ohio, Of which / am writ
] ing more particularly-may be told correctly
from the official report of its commander. For
the information of that committee, and think
! ing il may interest some Of the surviving conf
rades and their friends, j send you a copy from
the original. in my possession:
HEADQUARTERS Urn ONO, July G. 1868.
Lieut.. A. VI. W. CREIGH A A. A. C.. First Brigade,
Second Division Twelfth Corps.
SIR have the honor TO submit the following
report OF the part taken by the 9Th Ohio in the
! gagement of July and near Gettysburg, Pa.
ON Thursday morning, July ., we We're eneamped
the left side Of the Gettysburg and Littlestown
pike. Al o'clock a. m. we received marching
orders and at $50 moved out in line, changing
position TO the right of the turnpike forming our
| line OF battle IN the woods bordering the hill
(Culps) at the right OF the road In obedience 10
/ your orders sent forward Co. IL under command
| of Capt. Samuel McClelland, TO picket our front.
| They were posted along the stream (Rock Creekl
which runs through the hollow at our left, and
| manned there until 6 o'clock r. m., when they re-
| Joined my regiment. At this time the " Fall in I"
was sounded, and my regiment in company with
the rest OF the brigade moved by the right flank
! the right and rear OF the position which we had
| held during the former part of the day. / formed
my regiment in the open field in the rear of the
| stone wall, at the left Of and the turnpike.
/ AT this place allowed my men to sleep having
their arms and accouterments in perfect readiness
| 10 fall in AT any moment.
My regiment had not during any part of the day
/ been exposed 10 the fire Of muskelry but for some
time IN the afternoon we were exposed 30 quite
brisk fire OF artillery, although not suffering any
serious loss from IL. At half past II p. July
was ordered 10 form my command. il was then
moved, under your direction ont onto the pike and
advanced toward Gettysburg but turned from the
| pike 10 our right at the place which we held
/ in the morning. My line was formed in the right
and rear OF Gen. Green's Brigade. At this place
we received a volley Of musketry from the enemy,
wounding one man OF Co. J. In few moments
we were ordered 10 move by the right flank back
10 the open field, forming line in the Of a
stone wall which runs parallel with the road lead
1 ing 10 the pike. In few moments by order of
Gen. Geary. moved my command over the wall
i throwing a le fruu pnap
der charge Of Serg't Straton TO act skirnishers
/ At this place sergt Stratton received severe. If
soon after daylight on the morning OF the Sd, in
compliance with your orders. i drew in my skir-
mlshers aud ln a lew moments moved my regi-
ment by the ieit Hank back near the position which
we occupied the morning previous. When in the
edge Of the woods formed my command ia line
OF battle, and in compliance with orders advanced
/ forward doube-quick and relieved the Goth n "
] My regiment remained at the intrenchments until
about o clock, when II was relieved by the Goth
n. Y. When relieved i formed my regiment in
/ the rear Of the breastworSs. remaining until half
/ past O'Clock. when was again ordered forward
| to relieve a regiment. was not again relieved
until half past p m, having been under fire Of
musketry most of the day.
When relieved again formed my line ia the mol
low and remained there until halfpast o. clock n
m. July 4. when my command was again ordered
forward 10 the intrenchmcnts which position we
held until the brigade moved out on the pike pre-
| paratOry OF returning 10 Littlestown.
About IL O'Clock July observed n white flag
thrown out from the rocks ia front OF our nrenoh-
1 hiring, when Is OF the enemy advanced and
rendered, including three Captains two First Lieu
| tenants and two Second Lieutenants. AT the time
the white flag raised "A mounted rebel officer
Mai. Leigh, of Gen Ewell's stal-was seen to come
forward and endeayor 10 stop the surrender when
\ he was Tired upon by my men and instantly killed.
Early IN the morning of July CorpI John Pol
/ lock, Go. III of my regiment, advanced over the
intrenchment and captured The rebel Gag belonging
10 the lfth Va, which, in compliance with orders
was delivered 10 your headauarters 1 went into
action with go enlisted men and came out with
"a, losing one man killed and II wounded.
Very respectfully, your obedient servant,
w. H. CREIGHTON,
| Colonel Commanding, 9Th Ohio.
From the small number Of casualties in the
9TH regiment-and, although / have not the
figures Judging from the position, the 29th and
| Goth did not suffer TO a great extent-it may
have occurred TO Gen. Robinson and others
that there is nothing to commemorate in these
regiments, and that they do not deserve or
would not care 20 be known TO future genera
tions AS having beon engaged in this battle.
! But do not believe there is a comrade living
from those organizations who ever felt the
| blush OF shame mantle his brow for the part his
command took in that battle and / am sure
the State need not be ashamed of it.
Our position was simply impregnable. A
| stone wall had been thrown up along the crest
of Culp's Hill high enough 10 protect our bodies
when kneeling, on top Of which, leaving space
through which 20 put our guns, a log was
1 pldccd 10 piObtCL uedoS, ana from the
nature Of the ground over which the enemy
charged il was almost impossible for them TO
fire through this space until within short range,
when they were too busy seeking shelter or the
| rear TO do much execution. The enemy formed
his line Of battle at the foot Of the hill and
came up across the intervening space Of woods
and rock in splendid order while we Law be-
hind our solid breastwOrks obeying the com
mand 10 reserve our fire until the frst line
Of battle was well up the slope and in easy
range, when the command, Front rank
Ready-Aim l0w-Fire!" was given and exc.
cuted, and Immediately the rear rank the same,
and kept up as long as the line remained
| unbroken.
The boys will remember how, when those
! solid lines 0f gray were melted away before our
voleys, and after they had been broken, num-
bers OF the enemy had taken refuge behind
trees and rocks, and how we put in the time
while waiting for the next charge sharp
shooting them. spot ofEray showing from
behind "A tree, or a hat above a rock, was sure
TO draw the fire of a dozen muskets We took
as deliberate aim al that line of gray coming
up the bill as we would at a target Mai
Leigh, Of Gen. Ewel's staff as he rode up the
slope WAS seen by as all from the time he left
the foot Of the hill until he came TO his DEATH
One Of oar early historians Of the war thus
describes the rebel attack upon this position
With hendsh yell aud seeming contempt Of
denth, during SIX full hours they hurled their solid
mpsses against the wedelned lines. The Ma
a.